teakruthi

I love a good Earl Grey. I’ve tasted many from different companies but none have them have taken it to the level that Teakruthi has. Some are too creamy, some are so strong in bergamot that the citrus knocks you out. Vanilla Earl is the perfect marriage of both of these unique ingredients.

Latte Sipdown (288)

I overleafed this and it sort of tastes like soap. I am not a fan. This got dumped. I think that may be on me but it could also be the bergamot.

teakruthi was kind enough to send me this tea to try years ago. It got lost and so I am trying it now. As an earl grey, I wasn’t overly excited for it but it didn’t smell overly floral and had a nice vanilla note so I hoped for the best. I am surprised though that this is rather bland. Some light bergamot and vanilla but mostly milk seeing as I had this as a latte.

This blend smells mostly of citrus but looks and tastes only of hibiscus. It isn’t tart though which is nice since I’m drinking it hot.

Truly a unique tea. The liquor brews up to look like a black tea but the dry leaves definitely look like a white tea. It is a very light tea. Wet earth notes. No aroma for the wet leaf. Just the steam hitting my nose. Flavor is very slight as well. You really have to dig to understand what is being tasted. Accidental one hour steep. Not too astringent but odd medicinal flavor.

The water isn’t in the kettle but I need to start this note now because the dry aroma is mind-boggling. It is all over the tea wheel. White pepper, floral, vegetal, herbs. It’s hard to put my finger on any one note. The leaf is gorgeous. Fuzzy and a mix of different oxidation colors. The wet aroma is stable hay. Farm hay. It always seems to be that note with white tea. It steeps up fairly sweet within the first 30 seconds. Honeysuckle and a light touch of honey. The mouthfeel is incredibly silky. The package says up to 3 times but if steeping gong fu style you can go far past that. However, if steeping gong fu also keep in mind that each steep is shorter. While you could easily steep this to the recommended 4 to 6 minutes, try it at 30 seconds and then at each 30 seconds after. The sweetness hits within the first few minutes and then transforms to more hay and slightly earthy notes.

I’m exhausted so if partway through reading this and it doesn’t make any sense, you know why. This is a really unique blend. You see black tea blended with tons of different things but silver needle doesn’t tend to see as many mixes, much less both being mixed together. The first steep is the best with slight malt, honey, and savory earthy notes. In a gaiwan it is best steeped 10 – 30 seconds. Extra time allows for too many tannins and a strange astringency.

This one started off with a really enticing aroma. Sweet peaches, zippy ginger, and a slightly odd medicinal note that made one feel they’d be cured just by drinking this. Cured of what? I have no idea. But give this a whiff and you’ll see what I mean. I’m not big on the taste. I could see this being great for anyone with a sore throat but it’s not really a flavor I enjoy if I’m not sick.

White tea is the unexplored, underappreciated part of the tea world. I too vastly underappreciate it. Especially one that comes from Ceylon. I wasn’t expecting much to be honest. I wasn’t very impressed with any of their green teas so I assumed the white would be marginal at best. I was wrong. This is fantastic. I’m currently drinking it gong fu style with water that could probably be warmer but the flavors I’m getting are sublime. The first few were filled with floral notes of jasmine and gardenia. The third infusion is earthy. Incredibly soft on the palate with no astringency. You can definitely steep it up to 6 minutes but make sure to try it at least every minute because the flavors at each are great.
The aroma is a bit grassy but mainly filled with hay notes. Like the hay you find in a stable or barn. And over roasted vegetables.

I like this one! The base is full-bodied, not weak or thin at all.

The differences that one can find from one plant is astounding. Even the region of Ceylon, which is generally known for its black teas, has a variety of different types. Take a Ceylon green, a Japanese green, and a Chinese green and you will get many different flavor profiles! It’s amazing! So far in all of the Teakruthi samples I’ve tried I have discovered most to have astringency but this one doesn’t have a bit. There is a bit on the second, though I am also using a smaller steeping vestibule. A unique mix of woodsy and earthy notes. Some nutty notes here and there. Wet forest floor in the wet leaf aroma after steeping but the most amazing smell as soon as the water touched the leaves. (There needs to be a term for this) Instantly my nostrils were filled with wet warm jungle. Like I wasn’t standing in my kitchen anymore. What an amazing feeling that was.

2021 Homemade Advent Calendar Swap – Day 19
From Skysamurai.

This is one I’ve tried before and still have in my cupboard. I remember not liking it very much before, but I couldn’t remember why. Turns out it’s pretty thin and not nearly as flavorful as I would like. Maybe one of these days I’ll figure out some steeping method to make it taste as good as it’s meant to. I think generally I may just prefer teakruthi’s flavored blends to their plain black teas.

I don’t love this one as much as I thought I would. I thought it might be malty and strong, but it’s a bit thin and mineral-like in flavor. I don’t dislike it, but it’s not as good to me as yesterday’s Lemon Kandy.

My afternoon ritual general involves a green tea of some sort. But this unassuming blend is perfect for any time of day. Light on flavor with gentle woody notes. Wet forest floor filled with twigs and a few leaves. The aroma is balanced and fair. Nothing too crazy. Soft hints of hardwoods and treebark. A tea like this is not suited for milk or sugar but for those purists like myself who like a cup that has refined flavor and nothing to sit and overthink about. Sometimes it’s nice to just sit and sip and not think about every little flavor and aroma in the cup.

Mint lovers rejoice. Black tea lovers rejoice! If you were looking for the perfect marriage between the two, this is it. The golden amber liquor shines but the aroma of the dry leaf and the wet leaf dazzles the senses and calms the soul. The dry aroma is strong with mint. It’s overwhelming. Mint to the face! The wet leaf aroma tones it down a bit with woodsy notes but the zap of mint in your nose is enlightening. The flavor is much of the same. Wet wood notes and the tang of mint. Palate will feel slight astringency and freshness all at the same time.

For some reason, I really had a craving for Lemon Kandy this morning. I’m slowly working through my spring swap teas from Emilie, but this one pulled me away for just one cup. It came out just a touch bitter, but it works with the lemon zest.

This is my favorite tea from teakruthi (so far), so I recently ordered a larger bag. I also added several samples to my order, so I have lots of new teas to try. As if I don’t already have plenty! But tea mail is always fun and I really enjoy having the variety, so I’m certainly not complaining.

Today’s cup is just so delicious – slight lemon flavor, bold black tea base. The steeping parameters on the bag work perfectly for me. I have one cup’s worth left in my first bag and then I can start working through the new batch.

Last week was a doozy, incredibly busy and full of the unexpected, so I’m behind on all my tasting notes. Hoping to get those added to Steepster today. So grateful I planned to take vacation this week. It turned out to be perfect timing. Finally sitting down to rest today, even though there’s still so much I need to do. It never really ends, does it? :)

I just bought another bag of this from teakruthi so I should probably work on finishing this one before the other comes in. Shouldn’t be a problem – I love it!

I am really enjoying today’s tea. It does have a bit of a bitter edge, but it’s tamed some by a little honey and cream. It was too much for me straight/plain. I thought it might be too much lemon for me, but it’s really a nice amount. I’m not usually one to drink iced tea with lemon, so I wasn’t sure how much I would enjoy it hot. Turns out I’m a fan!

Second Steep
6 ounces water + 212 degrees + 5 minutes

Steeped a second time, same parameters. Equally as good as the first cup, no loss of flavor or strength. I would have tried for a third but it was getting late in the day and I needed to give up the caffeine for the evening.

There are certain black teas that are off-putting to me. Instead of tasting the usually earthy notes, I taste wet dog. The smell of wet dog is pungent and you can’t get it out of your head once you smell. But eventually, I settle into the cup and notice the flavors. This one has compost and wet forest floor. It is slightly astringent but still has a nice mouthfeel. The wet leaf aroma is very nice. Deep wet woods after a nice misting rain.

Why do they call Star Anise, Star Anise? Because it’s shaped like a star? NO. Because it is the star of the show! This is a star anise tisane with green tea. Sorry green tea you are a sidekick here. You round the cup out nicely along with the lemon friends. But for the most part, everything is about Star anise. I’m feeling cleansed.